Antiskid overshoe



1.951 H. E. EARL, SR 2,571,020

ANTISKID OVERSHOE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 20, 1949 6 v INVENYR BY ATTORNEYS.

Oct. 9, 1951 E, EARL, SR 2,571,020

ANTISKID OVERSHOE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 20, 1949 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS.

Patented Oct. 9, 1951 UNITED STATES. PATENT OFFICE ANTISKID ovnnsnon Herbert E. Earl, Sn, Roselle Park, N. J. Application April 20, 1519, Serial No. 88,585

This invention relates to anti-skid attachments for vehicle wheels.

An important object of the invention is to provide an attachment of the character stated which is not only constructed in a manner to prevent skidding in the direction of vehicle movement, but also, is adapted to prevent lateral skidding equally well.

Another important object is to provide a device of the character stated embodying novelly formed and arranged removable calks, these calks being arranged in a manner to prevent skidding as previously mentioned, and being additionally removable for the purpose of substitution of new calks for those which are worn, and also for the purpose of varying the calk arrangement to'suit particular conditions.

Another important object is to provide an attachment of the character stated that is durable, will not damage the vehicle tires, will be held securely in'position, and will be readily placed upon a tire or removed therefrom.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds. the invention consists of certain novel details of construction and combinations of parts, hereinafter more fully described and pointed out in the claim, it being understood that changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit of the invention as claimed.

Referring to the drawings Fig. 1 is a fragmentary view partly in side elevation and partly in longitudinal section, taken through one form of the invention.

Fig. 2-is a fragmentary view partly in top plan and partly in horizontal section.

Fig. 3 is a section on line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary longitudinal section through a means for connecting the ends of the attachment.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary side elevation of another form of the invention. I

Fig. 6 is an enlarged transverse section through the form of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged side elevation of a look-- ing means applied to both forms of the invention. Fig. 8 is a top plan view of said locking means. Referring to the drawings in detail, 5 designates a, conventional vehicle tire and as an antiskid attachment therefor I provide a molded rubber overshoe 6, in which are molded the transversely extended cross bars I, spaced circumferentially of the overshoe and curved to fit the transverse curvature of the tire 5 as best seen in Fig. 3.

1 Claim. (019152-175) 2 Each bar 1 is fitted with a plurality of calks spaced transversely of the tire, and the calks are of a special shape to increase tractio prevent forward skidding or rearward skidding, and prevent lateral skidding to either side. Thus,

-each bar is equipped with a suitable number of conical calks B, and each calk 8 is formed at the base of its conical head with a wrench receiving collar 9 from which extends a threaded shank l0 threadable in threadedopening ll formed in ""the cross bar 1. The molded rubber overshoe has recesses I2 registering with the openings H for passage of the threaded shanks.

Each cross bar additionally has a plurality of calks I4 having heads of inverted wedge ,shape,

with the crests of said heads being extended transversely of the tire thus to prevent forward or rearward skidding of the vehicle. Like the calks 8, the calks I4 have wrench receiving collars and threaded shanks receivable in the threaded openings formed in the cross bar.

Each cross bar additionally is equipped with any suitable number of calks l4 that also have heads of inverted wed e shape. the headsof the calks [4 being extended, however, in the direction of vehicle movement.

Thus, the calks l4 are particularly adapted to prevent side slip. In this connection, it may be noted that all'the calks, that is, the calks 8, l3 and M are all adapted to increase traction during normal movement of the vehicle, the pointed calks being particularly well adapted to dig into icy surfaces for this purpose and for the purpose of preventing skidding in any direction, while the wedge shaped calks cooperate at vall times with the conical calks for the purpose of increasing traction, while at the same time supplement ing the conical calks n the mat er of preventing skidding to the side or forwardly, by reason of the particular shape in which wide surfaces are provided that will be disposed broadside to the direction of skidding movement. 1

I provide a novel means for connecting the ends of the molded rubber overshoe 6 for the purpose of securing it in position uponavehicle tire, and said means is particularly adapted for the purpose of preventing snow or ice from wedg'ing between the connected ends.- .To this end, I provide end cross bars l5 that primarily, serve the purpose of supporting calks exactly in the manner of the cross bars 1. 1

However, the cross bars [5 diner from the cros bars I, in that the cross bars l5 are formed with longitudinally spaced fingers which slope downwardly as at l6 toward the bottom surface of the molded rubber overshoe, and then project In this connection, for the purpose of permitting additional flexibility in the connection, I bevel the end walls of the overshoe as at l8 to provide a v-shaped recess permitting flexing of said ends relative to each other.

Molded into the opposite side edge portions of the overshoe are chains I8, and extending from one end of each chain is a link l9 that extends around a rivet or pivot bolt 20 extended transversely of one end of a channeled body 2-! having an end recess 22 to permit relative pivotal movement between the link l9 and body 2i.

Extended transversely of the other end of the body 2! isanother rivet 23, and disposed immediately adjacent said rivet 23 is a locking recess 24. Between the locking recess 24 and the firstnamed end of thebody 2|, I form integrally on opposite sides of the channeled body the enlargements 215.

. Pivoted upon, the rivet 2.3 is channel member 26, having at one end the cars 21 through. which thepivot bolt or rivet 23 passes, thus to provide a swingablemounting of said channel member The operation of mounting the attachment upon a vehicle tire can now be readily understood. .The' attachment is simply positioned over the: tire, in the regular manner, and after the fingers [.1 mesh the position illustrated inFig. 2', the snap lock illustrated in Fig. 7, one of which is disposed on either side of the overshoe, is operated by placing the links 3| 'in the appro'- priate recesses, whereupon the arms 28 are swung under the body 2|, that is, to the left in Fig. 7. Thespring arms2 8, will be sprung apart by'the lugs 25 in passing said'lu'gs, and willsnap into position over the lugs, and in thisposition of the parts, the links 3| will move fully into' the locking recesses 24, thus' to securely lock the ends of the overshoe'together, for nor'maloperation'ofthe vehicle with the overshoe attachment on the vehicle tires.

' In Figs. 5 and 6 I have illustrated a modified form of the invention in which the chains l8 have extended between them the transversely 4 extended cross bars 32 equipped with the removable calks 8, l3 and [4.

Cross bar 32 is cushioned from the surface of the vehicle tire by means of a fibre cushion 33 or other resilient member, and the threaded openings in the cross bar extend fully therethrough, so that the calks are threaded against the cushion.

A flexible and permanent connection is provided between the endsof the cross bars 32 and the adjacent portions of the chains I8, and to this end, the ends of the cross bars 32 are formed into sleeves 34 that extend around the medial portions of U-shaped links 35 having at their opposite ends the sleeves 36 extending around the chain links.

A snap look as shown in Figs. '7 and 8 is again used for the purpose of connecting the ends of the chains, thus to securely mount the anti-skid andtraction' attachment upon the vehicle tire.

It may be noted that, in both formsof the invention, the basic organization is the same, each form. of the invention including the circumferentially extended chains [8 on either side of the vehicle tire, between which chains extend the cross barsequipped with removable calks. alternating in any suitable arrangement, and said calks being pointed, wedge-shaped, and threaded into spaced apart openings in the cross bars: for the purpose of completing, the construc tion of'the anti-skid attachment.

What is claimed is:

An anti-skid attachment for a vehicle wheel comprising a rubber overshoe formed to a length to extend-through the full outer'circumierenc'e of a wheel and proportioned as to width to overlie the: entire tread portion of said wheel; a pl-urality of spaced apart metal cross bars .free of connections to each other and spaced circumferentially of said overshoe, each cross bar beingmolded within saidovershoe' and extending transversely of the overshoe at rightangles to the plane of the WheeL'eac'h cross bar being formedwith a. plurality of threaded openings spaced from'end to end of the cross bar, the overshoe having openings registering with said threaded openings; 'andrmetal calks projecting outwardly from. said overshoe, each calk including. a threaded shank extending into the overshoe opening and threaded into one of the threaded openings of the crossbars.

- HERBERT E. EARL, SR.

REFERENCES CITED -"The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Cook Dec. 30, 1947' 

